


A Bet

by twixpie



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Gen, M/M, Pre-Canon, Tags May Change, Tokyo Babylon AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-15
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-09-24 14:44:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9765524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twixpie/pseuds/twixpie
Summary: There were some who say that Victor's string of successes were the result of a deal with the devil, they wouldn't be that far off the mark.In his case it had been an old spirit, in a tree, just before Tokyo Worlds 2007.(The Yuri on Ice/Tokyo Babylon/X fusion that no one asked for)





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first thing that isn't a work report or dream journaling that I've written in 13 years. Be gentle. Also, some groundwork, because I'm a tell don't show kind of writer:
> 
> The events of X happen, but the Seals win, all the kekkai's are restored, everyone just thinks Tokyo had lots of earthquakes in 1999. Maybe one day we'll find out what really happens.

It's the last event of the season, and perhaps the most important: Worlds. Victor's been having a pretty good season, nothing mind-blowing so far. His huge string of successes during his junior years faltered a bit when entering the senior division, and he's finally placing on the podium consistently again - albeit never gold.

They go to Tokyo a few days early to avoid jet-lag right before the competition. Victor hasn't been too bothered by it though, and decides to sight-see. It might be a bit early for full scale cherry-blossom viewing, but he hears that Ueno park is the best location for it. He'll chalk up the long walks to endurance training, if questioned.

He wanders the park, glad that it's midday during the week. Busy even now, but not much recognition. The trees are indeed not quite in full bloom, but he can tell it would be beautiful. However, there is one that seems to have it's own schedule.

The tree is nestled in a bit of grove, on a slight hill. It's perhaps the biggest tree in the park, and it's fully in bloom. The grove seems to have a different, reverent air about it. The sounds of the city are drowned out by the trees surrounding it, no music, cars, or even birds. The voice startles him.

_"So you want to win gold again?"_

Victor can't place where the voice is coming from, or the gender of the speaker. It seems to come from within him, but simultaneously from around him. It speaks again.

_"I can help you with that, if you agree to do something for me."_

"What... What do you mean? Who is this!?"

_"I'm just a very old spirit that could use some assistance."_

Victor takes a few hesitant steps towards the tree. He's not sure why, but it feels like... if he had to pinpoint where this voice was coming from, this would have to be it.

_"It's been awhile since anyone could sense me anymore, I'm so glad to meet you, Victor Nikiforov"_

"How -"

_"You'll win now, you know? Don't worry about the price, I'll make sure it get's paid. But I can make you win._

_"I'm old Victor, and I've seen what should've been the end. Just help me flourish again._ "

___

Victor wakes up from his nap, resting under a fully bloomed tree in the park, his phone ringing, but it's gone to voicemail by the time he realizes it.

"Vitya! Where are you?? You better be at the rink for public practice tonight!"

He erases Yakov's message once he listens to it, and heads back to the hotel for his gear. He has a gold medal to win.

A few petals flutter down, a deal struck.

___

  
Victor comes in first in the short program. His feet flow through his choreography and step sequences masterfully and his jumps are performed like he's floating on air.

Yakov is proud, he knew Victor would be back to form soon, and he's glad it's at World's, where it will truly count.

"Carry that momentum through to the free program tomorrow, Vitya, and gold is finally yours."

Yakov didn't even need to say that, the free goes even better the next day, Victor breaks the current world record, barely breaking a sweat, winning gold with it. All he says to the reporters is that he's hit a breakthrough in his practice, then kisses his first senior division gold with a smile on his face.

___

The next day, Victor demands they stop by Ueno park before heading to the airport, says he 'has to thank an old friend'. Yakov goes along with it, he did just win, might as well humour him a little.

There's a pair of Japanese teenagers sitting under the tree when he gets to the grove, the remnants of convenience store bento neatly stacked between them. As he approaches the older girl answers her phone and walks away a bit, engrossed in her conversation. The younger man looks a bit familiar, and when he spots the skate bag, he knows why:

Yuuri Katsuki, the bronze medalist for the junior division that year.

Victor gets even closer, and hears the words coming from his mouth before even understanding them.

"The cherry blossoms are beautiful, aren't they?"

Yuuri's head whips around, a bit startled to hear Russian accented English in the centre of Tokyo. He's even more flustered when he sees his idol, the current world champion standing in front of him.

"A-ah, yes, very beautiful"

His English is not perfect, but it was enough to get him into a college in Detroit, a year early even so that he can start practicing there with his new coach. This was his last year in the junior division, and the podium finish had spurred him on.

The next sentences, however, mean nothing to him. Despite years of idolizing Victor, he hasn't picked up more that two or three Russian words.

"You're a skater too, junior's bronze this time, right?

"Heh, Don't tell anyone, but this tree allowed me to win. I don't know how, but I really owe it one.

"Say... We'll meet again, you and I. When I'm close to retirement. I'll coach you then, for a year. If you get gold in that time, I'll stick around as whatever you want me to be. If not...

I'm sure that you'll be a satisfactory payment."

There's an unfamiliar gleam in Victor's eyes that Yuuri has never seen in him before, the spell is broken, however, when a phone rings.

Victor picks it up this time his demeanour shifting dramatically as he talks with his coach then goes back to English,

"Oh, Yuuri Katsuki right? Sorry I don't have time for chat, have to get to the airport."

He grabs Yuuri's hands, quickly shaking them both, then jogs off, Yuuri wrings his hands as his jaw slowly returns to a neutral position, his sister returning from her phone call.

"So, we can get the 5:30 bullet train back to Fukuoka, and Dad will come pick us up from the station, they're having a celebratory party for you, by the way."

"Mari... did you just see Victor Nikiforov talking with me?"

"Huh? No, I wasn't looking over here, let's get going though."

Yuuri flexes his hands, imagining fine lines criss-crossing over them, wondering if that was just a daydream.

___

Back in Hasetsu, a flurry of activity happens. Yuuko and Takeshi get married, timing it so Yuuri can attend before his move. There's a party to celebrate his podium finish at World's, then the stress of working out student visas. Partway through packing, Yuuri just convinces himself that meeting Victor was just a happy delirium soaked daydream.

By the time he's settled in Detroit, and putting up his smaller, packable Victor posters as his roommate sets up a hamster cage, he's forgotten it altogether.

Victor remembers it everyday.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be honest, I haven't mapped out too far from here. I know the end, but I don't know the middle. I woke up with the insistence that the year of the bet works out for Victor and Yuuri in my mind, spent an hour working out the real-world tournament logistics of it, and here we are. I just needed to get the words out there for external validation though.
> 
> This is the product of 15 years of low-key Tokyo Babylon obsession combined with 3 months of high-key Yuri on Ice obsession.
> 
> If anyone wants to shoot me headcanons about this or beta (because oh man could I use one) I'm on tumblr as twixpie also.


End file.
